Inside the New York Yankees clubhouse with MLB.com beat writer Bryan Hoch.

Game 79: Yankees vs. Brewers

June 30, 2011 – 1:05 p.m. ET – YES/MLB Network

A little bit of a different lineup here this afternoon as the Yankees go for a sweep of the Brewers. Curtis Granderson has played in all 78 games to this point (77 starts), but he’s getting the day off today, as are Alex Rodriguez and Russell Martin.

They’ll hope that the support they can provide will be enough behind CC Sabathia, facing the team he strapped to his back for the playoff push in 2008.

“They had to love the work that he did there, and we love what he’s doing for us,” Yankees manager Joe Girardi said. “He was a big part of their run there that year, going 11-2, and he has a lot of friends there. It’s an intriguing matchup.”

Some pre-game chatter from Girardi’s media session: The Yankees aren’t saying that Phil Hughes will definitely make another Minor League rehab start. It’s open for discussion that he could be activated earlier … If everything goes OK today in a bullpen session, Bartolo Colon will meet the Mets on Saturday at Citi Field … Derek Jeter may join the Yankees on July 4 in Cleveland … If the Yankees get Colon and Hughes back healthy at the same time, Girardi won’t rule out the idea of a six-man rotation.

AT A GLANCE: Today the Yankees will play the final game of a three-game series vs. the Milwaukee Brewers at Yankee Stadium…the Yankees are 4-1 thus far on their current six-game homestand, winning on Tuesday and Wednesday vs. Milwaukee and going 2-1 vs. Colorado from Friday-Sunday…beginning on Friday, embark on six games away from home, wrapping up Interleague play with a weekend series at the Mets (7/1-3) and playing a three-game series at Cleveland (7/4-6).
Are 10-2 in their last 12 home games (since 6/10)…have a current season-high four-game home winning streak.
Own the Majors’ second-best record at 47-31 (.603) behind Philadelphia (51-30, .630)…lead the AL East by 2.5G over Boston…is their largest division lead since being a season-high-tying 3.0G ahead at the close of play on 5/2…is the largest division lead in the AL.
Are currently a season-high 16 games over .500 in 2011…have been above .500 every day this entire season.
Are a Major League-best 27-12 (.692) since 5/17, following their season-high six-game losing streak (5/11-16).

ON THE RIGHT PATH: LF Brett Gardner made his Major League debut three years ago today, going 0-for-3 as the leadoff hitter on 6/30/08 vs. Texas…according to research from the Elias Sports Bureau, his 103 steals within his first three years in the Majors are most by a Yankee since Ben Chapman stole 113 within three years of his debut on 4/15/30…in the last 10 seasons, has the fifth-highest SB total of any Major Leaguer within three years of a debut according to Elias (see chart at left).

RECENT RUN: Since 6/10 the Yankees are 14-4, having won each of their six series over the stretch since getting swept in three games vs. Boston from 6/7-9…have held opponents to 4R or less in 16 of the 18 games and 3R or less in 11 of the games.

POINTS WELL TAKEN: CF Curtis Granderson has scored 70R in 2011, marking the most by a player through the end of June since the 2008 season (Lance Berkman-72, Ian Kinsler-72 and Hanley Ramirez-70)…are the most by a Yankee by 6/30 since Alex Rodriguez in 2007 (73).

MID-YEAR REVIEW: Today is the last day of fan voting for the 2011 All-Star Game…online voting remains open until tonight at 11:59 p.m. at http://www.yankees.com.

GAME OF THROWNS: With his assist in Wednesday’s win vs. Milwaukee bringing his total to five this season, CF Curtis Granderson has already matched his second-highest career single-season assist total (10 CF assists in 2007 and five assists in 2008 and ’10)…is tied for third in the AL and tied for fourth in the Majors in assists by a CF in 2011.

‘TIS BETTER TO HAVE GLOVED AND LOST…: RHP Brian Gordon donated the glove he used in making his first Yankees appearance (6/16 vs. Texas) to the Baseball Hall of Fame & Museum in Cooperstown, N.Y…the glove was requested by the HOF as it is believed to be the first-ever all synthetic (no leather) glove used in an MLB game.

The Yankees dominated in this series. A great sweep. CC was his usual self today, dominant as usual with great stuff. Yankees got enough runs from the replacement team with CC on the mound. Bring on the Mets.

REPEAT OF PRIOR POST:
“Why not? Mitre can work in short relief, he can give you 2 or 3 innings at a time, and he really isn’t as bad as Yankees fans make him out to be. Last season, he had a 3.33 ERA and a 1.09 WHIP.
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Is that better than what Buddy Carlyle would have given? I’d say so.”-Donnie Collins
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“It’s just a marginal upgrade (at best), and I think we can all agree that Mitre is better than Carlyle.”-Mike Axisa

Brackman is having another horrendous season in the minors, I never did expect to see him before the 2011 season, but overall he is looking more and more like a bust after the Yanks took a huge gamble and picked him in the 1st Rd of the draft knowing he would need major arm surgery. His problem is that he has never been known for his control and it comes back to kill him. This season isn’t good news for him since he will be turning 25 after this season and he is getting closer to that age where older prospects can no longer be considered top prospects in their careers. I really have my doubts whether he will ever become a major league starter, his best chances of making the majors is as a reliever but he is going to have to stop walking hitters before that happens.

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